BASKETBALL

adidas It Takes 5ive Schools’ Basketball Championship 2007
Commonwealth Secondary School vs Anglo-Chinese School (International)
Monday, 27 August 2007 at the Singapore Basketball Centre

Story and pictures by Leslie Tan. © Red Sports/soulbreath pictures

Dark horses Commonwealth knocked out favourites Anglo-Chinese School (International) 69-62 yesterday to move into the Final of the adidas It Takes 5ive Championship.

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Loh Shiah Leei of Commonwealth with a jumper in the game against ACS(Int’l). Shiah Leei finished the game with a team-high 20 points and proved a stumbling block for the ACS team. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

Commonwealth, led by their big twin brothers Loh Shiah Leei and Loh Chuen Gio, provided ACS(Int’l) their hardest challenge of the tournament so far. By the end of the first quarter, Commonwealth were leading 17-13 with Jordan Kwong and Loh Shiah Leei leading the Commonwealth charge.

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Jonathan Ng of ACS(Int’l) contributed 17 points, including one 3-pointer. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

ACS(Int’l), who seemed to have trouble aiming with the clear backboard and poor lighting at the venue, found their groove in the second quarter, outpointing Commonwealth 14-13 to make it 27-30 by half-time. But try as they might, they could not reduce the deficit in the third quarter because Commonwealth just always had enough wits to keep themselves in front. The score was 44-37 by the end of the third for a seven-point Commonwealth lead.

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Han Francisco (#5) drives past Ong Ding Xiang of Commonwealth for a layup. Han had a game-high 28 points but that was not enough to bring his team into the final. © Leslie Tan/Red Sports

In the fourth quarter, both teams raised their game to a another level and ramped up the scoring. ACS(Int’l) raised hopes when they again made it a three-point game but again, Commonwealth never let them draw level and finished comfortable 69-62 winners.

Commonwealth will now take on Yishun in the final on Thursday, 2:30 pm at the Singapore Basketball Centre.

Commonwealth:

#4 Loh Shiah Leei
#5 Lee Ke Qing
#6 Loh Chuen Gio
#7 Ong Ding Xiang
#8 Teo Zhi Xiang
#9 Jason Heng
#10 Ng Jing Siang
#11 Elston Ng
#12 Jason Lim
#13 Jordan Kwong
#14 Lee Shao Hao
#15 Ng Sheng Zhe

ACS(Int’l):

#4 Daniel Leung
#5 Han Francisco
#6 Cleon Tan
#7 Ken Nugroho
#8 Darren Tan
#9 Jonathan Ng
#10 Maurice Sam
#11 Levin Woosnam
#12 Aviel Tan
#13 Han Kyung Ho
#14 Leonard Ishak

Match statistics:

1st quarter: Commonwealth 17-13 ACS(Int’l)
2nd: 13-14
3rd: 14-10
4th: 25-25

Top scorers:

Commonwealth: Loh Shiah Leei (20 pts); Jordan Kwong (14 pts); Aviel Tan (10 pts)
ACS(Int’l): Han Francisco (28 pts); Jonathan Ng (17 pts – one 3-pointer); Darren Tan (13 pts – one 3-pointer)

More pictures in the gallery.